Chinedu Achebe: Nigerian Millennials in America Need to Wake Up!

As the historic presidency of Barack Obama draws to a close at the end of this year, many first generation Nigerian Americans like myself are left to wonder what is next. The black immigrant population in this country was just as celebratory and excited about Obama’s election victory in 2008 as black Americans were about it.

We finally felt that we had arrived and that African last names like Okeke, Olufemi, and others could no longer be a barrier or excuse for not achieving the highest levels of success in America. Africans, in particular Nigerians, have assimilated themselves into almost every phase of American life, except for the political arena. Right now, President Obama is the only person who has an immediate direct descendant from an African country to hold an elected political office on the state or federal level. When I think about how that sounds for a minute, that notion doesn’t seem plausible.

Most Nigerians are political junkies who immerse themselves in debates ranging from domestic and foreign policy issues in this country to fierce conversations on why Nigeria would be a great country only if corruption and tribalism decreased. The problem is that we have failed to transfer our political commentaries into activism. The cause of this stems from how Nigerian parents have raised their children. I still remember when I was growing up, my parents stressed to me and my siblings to never involve ourselves in political or racial talks centered on issues between black and white people.

When I was in middle school, I picked up The Autobiography of Malcolm X from my school’s library to read. I didn’t think it was a big deal until my parents found out I had it and started to get worried. They were concerned that I might be turning into some black militant. But it wasn’t until I got to college that I realized that my parents had a very disengaging view of dealing with racism. They believed that if I finished college, went to graduate school, and then got a very well-paying job, that I wouldn’t have to worry too much about societal issues in America. Sadly, many Nigerians have an almost naive perspective that since we are culturally different from black Americans, that maybe white Americans would see us as safe and unintimidating.

For many years, our community has failed to realize that police brutality was an issue that we needed to address until Matthew Ajibade made headline news. He was 22 year old Nigerian college student who was tasered to death while in police custody on New Year’s Day 2015 in North Carolina. Ajibade has now joined the list of other unarmed black men who have been killed by the police and not even his Yoruba last name made a difference. Also as the country continues to wrestle with the issue of immigration, Nigerians again have been passive on that front as well. So many of us have friends and relatives who live under the radar in order to avoid dealing with the immigration authorities. The main issues for these folks range from student visas that have expired, people who overstated their visiting visas, and “Dreamers” who came to this country with their parents as children. Another immigration related issue concerns my hometown of Houston, Texas, which has been dubbed as the Nigerian capital of the U.S. and has between 100,000-150,000 Nigerians living there.

At the present moment there is no Nigerian embassy/consulate general office here for folks to get and renew their passports. People have to travel to Atlanta, Georgia to handle this process. As 2016 kicks off another election year, the real question is will Nigerians find their voices and begin to engage with politicians about the issues I mentioned and many more that affect their communities. I have seen a few glimmers of hope coming from two women in particular so far.

One of them is Opal Tometi, one of the founders of the #Black Lives Matter movement. The other is Amara Enyia, a community and political activist who ran briefly for the mayor of Chicago in 2014 and flirted with the idea of running for Congress in 2015. Ultimately only time will tell if the political awakening that the Obama presidency started in 2008 will continue after he is gone. I can only hope that Nigerian millennials will play a more active role in shaping how that landscape will look like.

Please tell them my dear. They forget the North and West don’t really accept all fractions of the country. A perfect example is the Federal ministries!

Sese

February 27, 2016 at 6:36 pm

If u are Nigerian, u dont need any one to accept you. Its your home so make yourself at home

Word

February 27, 2016 at 8:02 pm

Well, some of us weren’t born in Nigeria.

Word

February 27, 2016 at 8:06 pm

@Sese, some of us weren’t born or raised in Nigeria, so we can’t make it our home. We are more accepted in our country of birth than Nigeria! I sense a bit of jealous in you.

Word

February 28, 2016 at 12:46 am

@Sese, Ngozi that left our juicy job at the World bank to help her ungrateful country. How did you all treat her or my friend that came back and was killed by armed robbers. You have lost your mind for telling people to come back and be treated like second class citizens without basic amenities!

Author Unknown

February 28, 2016 at 5:26 pm

@Word. If what you’re saying is that you’re amongst the Nigerian born and raised in the US population, someone (likely your parents) have been feeding you some Biafra inspired type BS. The North and West don’t accept all? Does the East accept all? Is the East itself unified to begin with?

naya…Are you ready to assimilate them in the society? Have you ever wondered why their parents left? Indigenization and quota system are real. Ironically, those presumed less educated rule Nigeria. One can’t help but wonder why we still keep these laws.

Sese

February 27, 2016 at 6:45 pm

“Those presumed less educated rule(d) in Nigeria”; that was from 1999 to 2007. Now we have medical doctors, phd holders, Architects in power. The problem now amongst others is that those presumed not to have the best interest of the nation are in power and that’s because those who are supposed to speak up or stand up are shying away

Marc Francis of Chelsea

February 27, 2016 at 7:08 pm

Will you give them jobs? Houses? What about their friends and other family members? You think it is as easy as hopping on a plane and coming back to earn a fraction of what you would overseas?

Word

February 27, 2016 at 8:07 pm

Don’t mind them..Na envy dey kill them!

Word

February 28, 2016 at 12:36 am

Don’t mind them…Na envy dey kill them.

Word

February 28, 2016 at 12:40 am

Nigerians are extremely envious. If the same people screaming come back and make Nigeria were natural born U.S. citizens, they will not come back to Nigeria. Why do Nigerians rush to have babies in the U.S.? Wicked People!

Please

February 28, 2016 at 9:25 am

It is not supposed to be easy! Naya is talking about coming to build a country, not taking a bloody vacation.

F

February 29, 2016 at 2:43 am

I just had this same discussion with my dad! My opinion is valid because I lived in Dallas and now back to Nigeria! The truth is that compared to the U.S, if you had a solid middle class upbringing you’re definitely better off in Nigeria. If You attended good schools or you can choose to stay in your parents house after uni till you’re good enough to move out, you have your OWN car. The issues that come in Nigeria that are annoying are things like power supply depending on your area (in my part of Abuja it’s pretty much all day) , traffic (lagos), bad customer service, police etc. America on the other hand I could not just get accustomed to. All the Nigerians screaming “I’m in Atlanta or houston” are all doing very basic, mediocre things just to keep paying bills. I mean they have power supply, clean roads and great scenery but I just kind of thought what does the U.S have to offer to me as a Nigerian? I had a cousin with a first class degree and it took her years to get to a managerial position… People in her workplace thought she was incompetent because of her african name. A lot of Americans looked down on me and in my head I was thinking “you don’t even know half of what I know” lol. The whole thing is just tiring, my cuz has a great Job, a great house and a good car. But both the car and house she doesn’t own completely because of mortgage and all that. All the money she makes goes back to the system and it sucks. Look when it comes to these things you have to pick what you would prefer. She has a dream of owning a boutique in Dallas but clothing stores are saturated…now I Compare her to my Neighbour who owns a clothing store in ikeja and makes millions a month in profit. I’m not saying Nigerians in America aren’t successful but I lived there for a long time and I’ve seen it all. All na extra packaging, I can’t work long hours and just pay taxes. Biko . That being said nigeria itself has a lot of issues but that’s a whole other rant. I choose to stay because there is so much room for innovative start ups look at Jumia, sweet kiwi, seyi shay couldn’t blow in UK but now she’s in Nigeria and has a deal with a UK label, hotels ng etc. Biko there’s money to be made but work has to be put in.

'Deola

February 28, 2016 at 5:26 am

In its good time, Nigeria and Nigerians born in Nigeria will evolve and address the political, social and economic issues that impact their lives and existence. At the moment, Americans of NIgerian descent should focus on issues that affect their very existence and those that would likely affect the generations that descend from them and yet unborn. Some of those issues involve instutionalized racism, economic opportunities and social inequalities. A Yoruba adage holds that ” it is only when a child grows up and holds the handle of a sword is he grown up enough to ask the question of who killed his father.” America is not a perfect country, yet the few countries in the western world that have evolved closer to its ideals might be hundred years behind it. My question is why travel back in time because you feel burdened by the colour of your skin or the generation of your arrival?

Ijebujesha

February 28, 2016 at 8:02 am

If you haven’t made good money in the US or you are not from a wealthy home or you are not Hausa-Fulani muslim, go back home at your own risk. When hunger nack your head ehn……

Please

February 28, 2016 at 9:23 am

So, “Word” are the northerners and westerners fully accepted in the South? You are a joker. Just like that scammer Ngozi that you mentioned.

Word

February 28, 2016 at 12:00 pm

@Please, you lead the way building Nigeria, and we will join you all late…Ya right, in your dreams! We are building with the dollars we send home and they businesses we fund in Nigeria! Isn’t that enough or you want us to bleed blood!

Word

February 28, 2016 at 12:01 pm

Excuse the typos!

Word

February 29, 2016 at 12:52 am

@Author Unknown, you think it is only the East that don’t feel accepted in Nigeria ? For your info, I am not from the East, and it is common knowledge that most of the federal government jobs are filed with people from the North and West.

Preach it

February 27, 2016 at 6:18 pm

“I still remember when I was growing up, my parents stressed to me and my siblings to never involve ourselves in political or racial talks centered on issues between black and white people.”

Nigerian-Americans Vs Nigerians Living in America. The realities of the Nigerian immigrant and their second generation children can be very different, even when they’re both US citizens. Do you see Obama fighting specifically for Kenyan issues? An elected Nigerian-American is there primarily to serve American interest. I think it’s a great idea to get involved, but what has an American elected official got to do with where the Nigerian consulates outside of Washington DC are located? That’s for Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry to decide. Let’s not get the two mixed up.

That is the core reason we Nigerians here should start identifying with the most viable candidate for the presidency, Donald Trump, who also, will likely be the next president of this country.The earlier we read the handwriting on the wall, the better for us.

Donald Trump is racist and does not care about immigrants, talk less of Nigerians and you say he is the best candidate. So far from the truth. Please do your research and look up his statements about immigrant groups and Nigerians specifically.

Fleur

February 28, 2016 at 4:38 am

Bella I am trying to get you to post the story on this Nigerian girl. I am so in love in how she has found strength and purpose through her burn scars. Amazing. I watched them grow up in the US, where having as much as a pimple is a warrant for ceaseless insults and taunts. And then their aunt who brought them to the US died tragically in her prime, not so long after her husband died too. Really sad and inspiring stuff.. Please post this.

Nice article…instead of u guys to focus on d issues raised…say make una wey be naija-americana enagage in politics 4america, u focus on throwing shades at someone bcos he said wat he thinks,,,his opinion….last time I checked, dere is freedom of speech in your country america…so u guys take a chill pill and act civilised….yes naija is bad for so many reasons but Nigerians residing or born in d in d western world(tanx to your parents) from your comments, u make it seem like all your lives over dere are filled wit milk n honey of d land wen in d real sense, it flows by u…. but for some unknown reasons to me, u can’t tap frm it. u talk of jobs, but I put it to you DAT most of d jobs Nigerians are doing in d west are d jobs Nigerians wudnt do at home…if naija pple accept to do dem here n work (no Ned to explain here,u undstnd wat I mean),den most pple are likely to b employed. so no fight person for him opinion.it is well.

@ Zibaintl…..Most Nigerians I know in the U.S. are successful in the field of medical, finance, and education. You sit down there and be ignorant. Maybe the ones you know work in low paying jobs. For me , and the Nigerians I have come across in the U.S are lawyers, physicians, CPAs, Professors, Nurses, Data Analysts,Business Analyst, Journalists and then list goes on. They are hard working, honest , and dedicated and making Nigeria proud. Even the Nigerians working low paying jobs are earning honest wages and sending dollars to Nigeria than to sit in and be unemployed in Nigeria so don’t knock down their hard work and sacrifice! There is dignity in labor. Those low paying jobs put me and lots of folks I know through college. Like I said previously, na evil dey kill people like you!

zibaintl

February 28, 2016 at 12:21 pm

haha @word take it easy OK…like I said d last I checked,,dere is freedom of speech in your country america…”evil kill people like me”?…..please clear your heart from bitterness,,I no tell u to come naija,,,cos space no dey here sef…no time to prattle words wit u..n don’t tink am ignorant cos your wrong…

Word

February 28, 2016 at 8:54 pm

@Zibaintl, thanks for showing my error. It should be ” na envy go kill them” . You see why it is important to proof read before posting. Please you all pardon my errors.

F

February 29, 2016 at 2:56 am

Word I don’t think it’s the same America you’re in Ohhh. Lawyers and what ke. My uncle even with his huge house in Dallas all na packaging because if he misses 2 months of heavy mortgage payment then say goodbye to your property. I remember he came to lagos and was looking for property to rent and couldn’t even put down a deposit for the property because even with his good job there isn’t just huge spare cash as a working citizen in the US everything goes to bills! I’ve lived in both countries and I prefer America in some aspects but if it comes to monetary matters Biko Americans shouldn’t talk much. If you want to see diverse Inspiring successful nigerians then think Uche and ink of bella naija, mark essien of hotels ng, arese ugwu of smart money, chef Eros of iamcookiejar, George okoro of okoro studios, maki oh the designer, Stephanie Coker of mtv base etc These are the new school nigerians achieving things, breaking barriers in our country and showing fresh new innovative business ideas. Majority of Nigerians in Americans are not in professional sectors my friend! All those nigerian unions I attended in Atlanta almost everyone was literally a nurse after doing some two year course. Pls relax .

Word

February 29, 2016 at 7:22 am

@F, When you are a professional, you are extremely busy and don’t have time for unions and meetings. I don’t have the time to go to unions because I am extremely busy enhancing my skills to be competitive in my career. I have lived in most parts of the U.S. and have meet Nigeria professionals in .D.C, Houston, San Francisco, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, and the list goes on. Out of respect , I wouldn’t call names. But , You have pushed … I am talking about ivy league educated Nigerians like Geoffrey Mobisson and his siblings, Dr Aluko….. They are hundreds and thousands of silent successful Nigeria professionals who are not obnoxious and don’t get involved union meetings and crap! Don ‘t say what you don’t know. You broaden your horizon.

Ijebujesha

February 28, 2016 at 5:13 pm

That’s the mentality that wont make people come back home. ‘Jobs that Nigerians wont accept back home’..imagine! Its that fake big-manism that has made that country a perpetual failure. It is the reason for corruptio and al sorts. The quality of life being lived by those doing thise jobs you wont do is 20 times better than the life many white-coollar folks in 9ija are living. There is something called ‘dignity of labor’. It’s by far more respectable than stealing public money in the name of government official, government contractor or even private sector like banks almost entirely dependent on the rot in governwment cirlces to thrive.

Word

February 29, 2016 at 8:10 am

I will list names like you did , so you can appreciate the diverse talents of Nigerians that are successful despite racism in the U.S. , and we should all be proud of them. I am tired of Nigerians belittling the hard labor and work.of their brothers and sisters in the U.S. Dr Okpara owns clinics in North Carolina, Dr Mike Etomi is Nephrologist, Dr Aluko is a cardiologist, Martin Muoto is a venture capitalist in LA, his brother Oliver Muoto is the co-founder of MerchantCircle and Epicentric,Kase Lawal of Camac, Dr Katherine Mobission, Director of child psychiatry, Enitan Adesanya, VP of Risk Management @Kaiser Permanente, Joi Onkendi, Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Henry Okorafor, United states military, Stanley Okoro, Plastic Surgeon in LA, Uchenna Okereke, Dermatologist, Jude Okogbenin, VP and SR Project Manager, Geoffrey Mobisson, part owner of Levementum in Arizona and the list is exhausting. Yes , there are lots of hard working Nigeria professionals doing great in their respective careers. I have ran into lots of them and I am proud of them because U.S. is not easy for Africans, but they are doing great!

F

February 29, 2016 at 11:56 am

@word first of all your statement “I’m too busy as a professional to attend unions” is pure bs. My uncle is very successful in the US… He is a dean of a school and his wife works in a bank but every summer we attend the nigerian union for fun. They are considered successful but they are not the majority. All the names you’ve listed are definitely not the majority either. My problem with you is that you are being condescending by saying stupid statements like “we nigerian Americans send money home to build businesses”. Lol what kind of lie is that? I understand people send money to the village but that’s about it. The successful, rich Nigerians are based in Nigeria… The new school nigerians are in Nigeria. My sister works in shell and I kept wondering if she would have been able to achieve all she had done here at 25 if she were in America where people are still struggling with student loans. I chose not to remain in Dallas because I want to be my own CEO and have a start up here In Nigeria. Do you know the amount of people moving from the states back to Nigeria to build a strong brand for themselves? Trust me if you have high achieving goals it’s easier to get to where you need here, except you just want a job and to be “alright” then America is for you. I remember reading Stephanie cokers interview on why she moved back and how much she has achieved since then; starting her hair line interviewing nicki minaj, meek mill etc… That’s something that would have taken years to do abroad because of the long line of people also waiting to “blow”. I’m not knocking down you guys hustle but in Dallas, Atlanta and Milwaukee where I’ve lived everyone is trying to just get by. They may work in hospitals and in banks but it’s nothing spectacular. I met a Really successful man once in Dallas who owned his own clinic and that was the one person I thought was really successful. Now in Comparison to Nigeria where in my street alone I can point out a doctor who runs his hospital , my dad an oil engineer, and a woman who owns a high school lives beside me in a huge house that she built from scratch. Look I don’t even need to tell you, look around bella naija and you’ll see what I’m saying. There is also a list of people who moved back from the US and are doing ridiculously better than before bolanle, the kitchen butterfly lady, kehinde smith of myextensionz and the list is endless tbh. My friend from Dallas is now trying to come to lagos to see how she can introduce her fashion brand here after 8yrs because in America it’s not easy to start and get recognized.

Word

February 29, 2016 at 12:36 pm

Well that is your uncle….I don’t have the time.. I know my schedule. Funny you talked about your uncle in the academic field. I know for a fact they have flexible schedules! Success doesn’t respect boundaries and countries. If you want to come back Nigeria, more grease to your elbow. I have nothing against and it is not.my.business Don’t make.people feel bad for not going back to Nigeria. It is their personal choice. Your happiness is the most important element in this life. Just because you lived in three states and only meet few successful Nigerians doesn’t mean there aren’t successful Nigerians. The U.S. has 50 states. There are successful and unsuccessful Nigerians in all the 50 states! There are lots of successful first, second and third generation successful Nigerians You broaden your horizon . The best place to meet them is in professional organizations like IIBA, Nigeria Medical Professionals in the U.S , NASBA,ABA, State chapters of CPAs….etc! Nigerians in Diaspora send millions in dollars and pounds. Isn’t it a fact?

F

February 29, 2016 at 8:05 pm

@word Word from the way you talk I can already tell you aren’t the one who is up for a detailed discussion. You miss points and you try and refute the wrong things in the wrong way. Firstly, I never said all Nigerians in Americans were doing bad. Second of all are you trying to say that no professional attends the Nigerian union? Those two don’t even correlate, if you choose not to go then that’s fine. I lived there and all my family and friends are there too working in different fields and nigerian union was a fun summer thing to just chill and be happy… If you attend it does not mean you are unserious or you aren’t in the professional sector. Thirdly, people like you irritate me because you feel you are superior to Nigerians who actually live in their OWN country. Your mentality is all sorts of flawed, how many Nigerians can send millions home lol when they haven’t paid off loans and paid off car notes & mortgages. Or can you send millions? With what job exactly? My uncle is a dean earning six figures and he is well to do but I can still see that it’s not easy in the states as a middle class, I know the nigerian community in some US states really well, from church, school and functions. When I told my naija friends in the US my parents paid 1million for my 6 years in high school back home they didn’t believe me. Nigerian Americans do a variety of jobs and that’s fine but what appealed to me most about Nigeria is that you can do multiple businesses, still work for a great company like shell or kpmg, buy your car in full etc. The issues are things like constant power, banking services etc. If you want to stay in America then stay because you’re probably used to it. But please miss me with that “envy” bs, the only nigerians trying to move to America permanently are the unaware ones who think visa=greener grass. Successful Nigerians ain’t Tryna move anywhere except it’s a vacation! Instead educated nigerian Americans are moving home to build brands and make their own money. Go through bn career section just as a little example. My dear no one is forcing you to come, but don’t come and start acting like middle class nigerians want to go to America so bad and still end up doing menial things. Nahh

Word

February 29, 2016 at 8:49 pm

Did I write that one Nigerian sent millions of dollars home or I am writing about aggregate or total value of the dollars remitted from all Nigerians in Diaspora ? According to Premium Times dated December 25, 2015. The total remittance from Nigerians in the Diaspora is $21 billions . At least, I was being consecutive in the amount I quoted. You know what Google is your friend. Where did I write that I look down on Nigerians back home? I have family back home. I am done with yo!. I hate to exchange words.

Word

February 29, 2016 at 9:00 pm

You have issues… You are the one that is looking down on Nigerians working menial jobs or whatever you call it. Job is job. . If they are working menial jobs, so what! At least, there is dignity in labor than be jobless. Let me lecture you. It is not everybody that comes from a middle class home. Because you did, doesn’t mean you should look down on people who come from lower class or whatever you call it. All fingers are not equal. At the end of the day, I have see people raise from lower class to upper class! I come from a middle class home in Nigerian and in the U.S…LOL! Like I said, most Nigerians I know in the U.S. don’t work menial jobs, and the ones that do work menial jobs I applaud their hard work. I prefer folks working menial jobs than getting involved in illegal activities Nigeria and abroad. I worked menial jobs to put myself through college. It is the American way of life, and I don’t regret it. I loved every moment of it because I appreciate that experience. It taught me hard work and ethics. Not everybody can work in the entertainment and makeup industry or own a blog like a Bella Naija. Everybody has their niche and some environment favor some professions more than others. You get that!

F

February 29, 2016 at 9:38 pm

Like I said you misconstrue everything! Once again if you are talking about all the money sent home to Nigeria by all Nigerians in the diaspora then of course it would be huge duh! Do you know how many Nigerians are in the UK and America then Canada etc., obviously it would be a lot…also considering it has been done for decades. You purposely don’t love to read, I didn’t say menial jobs were bad but you said “envy go kill una”, so I replied why would a working class/ middle class nigerian leave to go start from scratch elsewhere and probably start off with a menial job when they are better off home?? You definitely look down on others because I read all your comments prior in disgust, you were talking about envy and all that rubbish. Who told you everybody is a make up artist here or a blogger? In fact those are even the smallest sectors in Nigeria although they earn a lot of money. I’m talking about the variety in the new tech start ups that multinational companies invest millions of dollars into, the oil industry, nigerian based fashion and beauty that international celebs are rocking , quality restaurant chains owned by Nigerians, boutique hotel & hospitality business, creative arts, photography is blooming, music is blooming, the other day I went to the dentist and all the doctors and the nurses were young girls in their 20’s- 30’s and they did a good job. Those are the things that make me proud, so I hate when people act like all home nigerians are jealous of Nigerians abroad. It’s such a backward thought. And I’m not looking down on others, I was privileged to grow up in America and Nigeria and I appreciate what Nigerians are doing home, you think they lazy around? No everyone is trying to reach the highest point despite obstacles we face by poor leadership. In America it was also a struggle especially getting through a college so why are you implying that one group is significantly better? Abeg Abeg. If this was a face to face convo I would have checked you real quick. Typing tires me

Word

February 29, 2016 at 10:14 pm

You misunderstood me.. Someone said all generations of Nigerians should go back home and fight. Fight for what? Are Nigerians fighting? That was why I said “envy go kill una” because the person made a general statements that most Nigerians are doing menial jobs and that statement was condescending to Nigerians working professional and nonprofessional jobs.That person has a right to their opinion and I have a right to disagree So you chill. , and you are going around in circles. What do you have next!

Word

February 29, 2016 at 10:20 pm

See how you are getting defensive about the type of jobs in Nigeria.. You listed folks in the entertainment industry and Bella Naija… And I said not everybody can be a Bella Naija, Tiwa Savage, or work in the entertainment. Read my words… Everybody has a niche and talent, and some environments favor some professions more than others. I have a Nigeria friend that is a teacher in Beijing makes dollars with housing and feeding allowances. Some people can’t pack their stuff and move to China to work for an international teaching organizations. Everybody has their comfort zone…

Ben

February 28, 2016 at 5:15 pm

How about if blacks stop waiting on the white man to come save them. How about if the f-ing African leaders were not the most corrupt selfish clueless motherf-ing buffoons on earth and make Africa greater than Europe and America. A place where most blacks will be proud of and think of coming back to. Europe and America were never made for blacks. Maybe just maybe we won’t have so much racism going around and whites will be envious of Africa. Blacks are more racist than whites. I’ve always said that. How about Nigerians and Africans having tribalism and secterian issued and dealing with that 1st before talking about rascism. I can understand a white man not liking for the color of my skin what I can’t comprehend is a black man not liking me for either i talk different or i have a different dialect.

@ F… You are confused and comprehension issues. Who wrote about Nigerians moving to the U.S. My statement was about Nigerians moving back to Nigeria? Some fraction of Nigerians in back home make fun of Nigerians the diaspora that they work jobs that they wouldn’t do back Nigeria.. That was my gripe. . I hear it when I go home and I read same statements on Bella Naija.. So I am defending Nigerians in the diaspora and stand firm on my statement. Most Nigerians I know ( the emphasis is KNOW) are professionals. And the Nigerians doing menial jobs, God bless their hustle.. You go and jump on your head!